Xubuntu Development Update August 2021

In August, Xubuntu made several configuration and package updates for the in-development 20.10 Impish Indri and some bug fixes and application updates for the 20.04 Focal Fossa release.

Xubuntu 20.04, Focal Fossa

Xubuntu 20.04.3 was released on Thursday, August 26th. It’s a maintenance release consisting primarily of bug fixes and security updates. You can find the full list of changes here. Special thanks to everybody who helped test this release! Download links are available on xubuntu.org. Some important updates include:

• exo 0.12.11-1ubuntu1.20.04.1: Fixes resizing the xfce4-settings window smaller (LP: #1874954)
• xfce4-weather-plugin 0.10.1 → 0.10.2: Fixes weather lookups due to an expired API (LP: #1918002)
• firefox 85 → 91
• linux 5.8 → 5.11
• thunderbird 68 → 78

Xubuntu 21.10, Impish Indri

Enabling the Super (Windows) Key

Over the years, a popular request has been to bind the Super key to show the applications menu. For technical reasons, we weren’t able to implement this change using what’s included in Xfce.

On the upstream bug, Andre Miranda recommended using xcape to work around this particular issue. We’ve adopted this solution for Xubuntu, and now the Super key shows the applications menu without breaking other Super key shortcuts! I’ve demoed the Super key functionality on Twitter:

Today’s @Xubuntu daily iso (2021-08-20) features xcape, enabling the Super key for showing the Whisker Menu.

Download here: https://t.co/dcaG1gN84b

More information: https://t.co/6fmT7DlK0j pic.twitter.com/lQbokbqBW9

— Sean Davis 🦣 @bluesabre@floss.social (@bluesabredavis) August 20, 2021

Rhythmbox Alternative Toolbar Layout

Last month the Twitter community voted on whether to include the standard or the “Alternative Toolbar” layout for Rhythmbox in Xubuntu. With 89 votes and 82% of the vote in favor of the Alternative Toolbar layout, we’re now shipping it in Xubuntu!

Slideshow Translations

I did some cleanup on the Xubuntu installer slideshow this month, merging in a pull request, bulk updating translations, and getting everything synced over to Transifex. I was also granted push permissions to the upstream Ubiquity slideshow codebase, making it much easier to sync the Xubuntu updates back over. Going forward, we’ll have a lot more control over the delivery of our translations. If you want to help contribute to our slideshow translations, please sign up on Transifex!

Package Updates

In August, the Xubuntu packageset saw updates to several Xfce components, MATE 1.26, and the Xubuntu default settings. Remember that you can keep up with Xubuntu’s latest package updates by following Planet Bluesabre.

• atril 1.26.0-0ubuntu1
• catfish 4.16.2-1
• engrampa 1.26.0-0ubuntu1
• exo 4.16.2-1
• gigolo 0.5.2-1
• mate-calc 1.26.0-0ubuntu1
• ristretto 0.11.0-1
• xfce4-clipman-plugin 2:1.6.2-1
• xfce4-cpufreq-plugin 1.2.5-1
• xfce4-cpugraph-plugin 1.2.3-1
• xfce4-panel 4.16.3-1
• xfce4-screenshooter 1.9.9-1
• xfce4-settings 4.16.2-1ubuntu1 (proposed, waiting on glibc)
• xfce4-systemload-plugin 1:1.3.1-1ubuntu1
• xfce4-taskmanager 1.5.2-1
• xubuntu-default-settings 21.10.1, 21.10.2, 21.10.3
• xubuntu-meta 2.239

Upcoming Dates

The Release Schedule has some key dates just around the corner. If you haven’t already, now’s the time to start testing!

• September 9: User Interface Freeze
• September 20: Beta Freeze (Beta on 9/23)
• October 7: Final Freeze, Release Candidate
• October 14: Final Release

We’re approaching the final release of 21.10 and the beginning of our next LTS, 22.04. If you’d like to help out, check out the Get Involved section of the Xubuntu website. We need all sorts of help, so if you’ve got the time, we’d love to help you help us!